Gag Order

Why Has Mockingjay - Part 1 Been Banned in Thailand?

Though it hasn’t even opened in the U.S. yet (only a few more hours, Mockingjays!), the third installment in the Hunger Games franchise is already living up to its rebellious spirit abroad. Katniss’s three-finger salute, an homage to her fallen comrade Rue and a subversive gesture to the Capitol, has been adopted by Thai dissenters wanting to protest the military dictator General Prayuth Chan-ocha. Five students were detained for flashing the symbol during a protest on Tuesday and now one of the major film distributors in Thailand, the Apex Group, has pulled Mockingjay - Part 1 from theaters, replacing it with the less contentious (unless you object to May/December romances) Magic in the Moonlight.

This isn’t the first time the Thai government has cracked down on objectionable American imports. Earlier this summer, the Thailand military junta called out comedian John Oliver and his HBO show Last Week Tonight for being part of foreign attempts at “undermining the royal institution.” This is the segment that raised their hackles.

Though Oliver was accused of breaking lèse-majestè (literally “injured majesty”) law, which could land anyone mocking the Thai royal family up to 15 years in prison, after the recent military coup, the government issued a gag order on all media that’s critical of the Thai government. Last time we checked, Mockingjay - Part 1 was taking on President Snow not General Chan-ocha, but given the recent uprising, Apex decided to throw Jennifer Lawrence out with the bathwater.

For the record, Apex claims its decision to pull Mockingjay - Part 1 isn’t related to the student arrests, but, rather, a reaction to the League of Liberal Thammasat for Democracy. The anti-coup group bought a large block of tickets from Apex and intended to give them away as part of a “Raise Three Fingers, Bring Popcorn and Go to Theatre” protest. According to Variety, Apex objected to their screens “being used for political activism.” No word yet if the protest will carry on for a screening of Magic in the Moonlight, but I doubt it. Somehow “Dress in 30s Clothing, Bring Popcorn, and Go to Theatre” doesn’t have the same ring to it.